MAKING YOGURT with RIGHT INGREDIENTS, TIMING, TEMPERATURE AND STORAGE.
 

1

Pour 100ml lukewarm boiling water that measures below (38°C) into the pot.   Then go to step 2, after that pour 600ml hot boiling water and blend it well again.   Hot boiling water @ above the temperature (88°C) will help to kill any undesirable bacteria that might be presented in the milk and must be held at boiling temperature for at least 20 to 60 minutes or heat the milk to boiling temperature above (88°C).    This heat treatment alters the casein micelles and prepares them for the unique structure to form so that it gives the yogurt a firmer body and texture.   Without the heat treatment the End Product may not be good and increases the chances of failure.   The failure is sometime due to contamination of milk and culture that causes the water to separate from milk and sink to the bottom of the yogurt.   After heat treatment you wait at least 20 min till the temperature to fall or add approximately 200ml boiled cold water to makeup to 1000ml and the temperature must fall below (38°C) then you prompt to step 3.   {NB. if the temperature is very high above (38°C) during step 3, it will cause the yogurt to turn sour as the results because some of the LIFE CULTURES may die off due to an excessive heat}.    During the waiting time from step 1 to 3 please do cover the pot with a clean dry towel to prevent the atmospheric contamination.   Hi-hygiene!   As a reminder again, in each batch of yogurt making, hygiene and freshness are supreme important.
 

 2

Use FERNLEAF milk powder that measures 12.5g or 20g per scope at level.   Use 18 to 28 scopes depending on your tastes of prevail to obtain the desired solids, I normally use 23 scopes of milk powder and that is sufficient to cultivate one liter of yogurt.   You must blend it well so that there is no lump of milk then add boiling water and go to step 1.   If you are using 28 scopes of milk then follow 13-18 hours formula that will help you to kill the milky tastes or to complete the coagulation.   You may stop any time after 8 hours if it is a complete coagulation.   The number of hours that are needed for coagulation depending on your site temperature, warmer the site is, it will need fewer hours.   You have to do experiment and research to find it out.   The guideline for a complete coagulation is about 8 to 10 hours.
 

 3

Add approximately (25 to 75g) of Active Life cultures are enough to propagate themselves with Actobacillus Acidophilus/Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus or Bifidus and then stir gently and cover the lid with a clean dry towel to prevent water condensation and atmospheric contamination with bad bacteria.   Oh, not again!  hygiene but it is necessary!   I normally use Bulla yogurt liquid and creamy as a starter (make it sure that it is the Life Cultures) because it contains the most effective two types of Active Life Cultures (Lactobacillus Acidophilus and Bifidobacterium Infantis) to ferment the warm milk that will produce the lactic acid bacteria or microbial transformation of milk components in a biologically active form with anti-proliferative activity compounds useful in prevention against cancer and pathogenic organisms.   So beneficial, yet most vulnerable to bad bacteria and good preventive agent for human.   Then why not eating yogurt?  
 

 4

 

 

TIMER SETTING

Timer's dial is to be set for ¼ hour ON, 1 hour OFF, ¼ hour ON, ¾ hour OFF, ¼ hour ON, 1 hour OFF, ¼ hour ON, ¾ hour OFF, ¼ hour ON, 1 hour OFF, ¼ hour ON, ¾ hour OFF, ¼ hour ON when you cultivate them in Air con room in the tropical climate.   During the Summer you change ¾ hour Off to 1 hour OFF, 1 hour OFF to 1¼ hour OFF and during the Winter ¾ hour OFF to ½ hour OFF, 1 hour OFF to ¾ hour OFF.   But for Summer & Winter ¼ hour ON remains unchanged.   During active hours of coagulation for the warm milk to ferment, the temperature should remain almost constant @ (38°C) and also undisturbed.   NB.    The above "setting" is based on 1000ml and 23W coffee warmer, others than 23W you must experiment for the new correct "setting" for the timer.
 

5

Switch on the Timer to control the heat that is required to activate the process of colonizing the lactic cultures until 8-13 hours undisturbed for milder taste (no sour) and longer than 13 hours or overnight for sharp tangy taste (sour) because lactic culture is a fast-growing Culture.   After the whole period of processing you then blend it plain for 2 to 8 minutes and refrigerate it immediately below (4°C) in the air-tight container.
 

6

The quality of yogurt you cultivate will depend on the quality of milk and Cultures that you use for making yogurt.    Better quality of milk and Cultures produce better quality of yogurt.   If your yogurt tastes a little milky then use 13-18 hours instead of 8-13 hours formula.   Here again you must experiment it for a correct "hours formula".   Normally, it is about 8-12 hours depending on your site's temperature.